


Campfire Glow

by PuffyPillow (CrinklyTinfoil)



Series: In Regards to Trolls [2]
Category: Hilda (Cartoon)
Genre: Also Johanna burns her hand, Drinking, F/F, First Kiss, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Sneaking Around, So ouchy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29037657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrinklyTinfoil/pseuds/PuffyPillow
Summary: Johanna has been sneaking out to meet her troll friend Steinbrecher for a couple of months now. Tonight is special though.
Relationships: Johanna | Hilda's Mum/ Babba's Mum
Series: In Regards to Trolls [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130255
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Campfire Glow

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back to me doubling down on why I think this would be cute. Eventually I'm going to curse you all with a songfic, just so your prepared.

It was a quiet evening in Trollberg. The sun hadn’t quite set, an orange glow just beginning to tint the slowly darkening sky. The city was growing quieter with every hour that passed – the sound of traffic gradually lowering down to a soft hum.

Evening light poured through the windows in the kitchen of the small apartment, reflecting off the metal of the sink. Dust particles glinted in the air as they floated through it, aloft and sparkling softly. The light filled the quaint interior with a sense of comfort and made it seem far larger than it actually was.

Johanna saw none of this.

Her eyes were glued in front of her, stable hand tracing a delicate line along the edge of her ruler. Her graph paper was covered in lines and marks that formed the shape of her newest commission. It was a design for the library, commissioned for their upcoming reading program. The job didn’t pay the most, but that didn’t mean Johanna wasn’t going to put her all into it.

Pencil shavings dotted the bottom of the desk she worked at along with blacked bits of eraser. Crumpled paper littered by her feet – products that had failed to impress. Johanna carefully drew her line, before leaning back and staring at it.

It was crooked.

Her eyebrows knit together as her mind assured her that was impossible. She’d drawn it against the infallible edge of the ruler. There was simply no way…

With narrowed eyes she leaned forward, examining the ruler. She let out an irritated tut as she realized that somehow, it had gone and become crooked. She rubbed her temples and let out a sigh – it was clear she needed a break. She seemed to have hit a mental block there was not getting around and though the temptation was to keep trying to force it, Johanna knew nothing good would come from that.

As she stared in irritation at the half-finished project in front of her, she was startled from her trance by the sound of her door being thrown open.

“Mum, I’m back!”

Hilda entered, her blue mane of hair bouncing behind her as Twig trailed at her feet. She wore a large smile on her face – perhaps a bit _too_ large of a smile. Sticks and leaves laced throughout her hair and Johanna noted the mud stains that dotted about the knees of her daughter’s pants.

“Hello Hilda,” she said leaning back in her chair. “How did your study group go with Frida?” She raised an eyebrow as Hilda opened her mouth, before shutting it again.

“We may have gotten a _little_ sidetracked,” she confessed, and Johanna felt herself relax slightly. She tended to be a lot more lenient towards her daughters misadventures if Hilda was honest about them.

“Nothing dangerous I hope?” She questioned and Hilda shook her head.

“Nothing dangerous. Alfur was with me – he can back me up,” she said as she gestured to her shoulder.

The fabric on Hilda’s yellow scarf rustled slightly as a small head popped up, red cap balanced atop of it. The little elf waved at Johanna.

“Good evening Mum!” He said in his tiny voice. “I can indeed confirm Hilda’s claims – though there was a good deal of climbing involved in today’s activities.”

“Well,” Johanna said as she rose from her chair. “You both have good timing. The pie is just about ready to come out of the oven!”

A delicious smell had slowly begun to fill the apartment as Johanna had sat there working – the savory aroma of one of her home cooked pies baking away in the oven. In truth she thought as she made her way into the kitchen, it was good that Hilda had gotten home when she had.

Johanna had nearly forgotten about her project in the oven

A soft crackle announced the arrival of Tontu as he stuck his head out from a crack in the cupboard. “Hi Hilda,” he said as he said as he waved to Hilda, who had taken off her boots and was making her way across the carpet.

“Hey Tontu,” Hilda responded as Johanna bent down and opened up the oven.

“How was…” Tontu paused mid-question. “Hey, Johanna don’t you want an oven mitt?”

“What?” Asked Johanna as her hand closed around the edge of the pie tin. With a hiss of pain she withdrew it hastily, feeling the hot burning sensation that accompanied the flair of redness on her hand. Shoot, that hadn’t been what she meant to do.

Hastily she stood up, turning on the tap as she heard Hilda approach her side.

“Mum, are you okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Johanna said as she gave a tired sigh. “Just, forgot to put on an oven mitt – that’s all.”

“That is a nasty burn,” Alfur said, as he approached the edge of Hilda’s shoulder, his small eyes directed at the red skin that now extended across Johanna’s palm. “Whatever possessed you to reach for that pan without protection?”

Johanna slid her hand under the faucet as she said with a small laugh. “I guess I just wasn’t paying attention.”

“Geez mum, and you think I’m not careful,” Hilda said, seeming caught between amusement and genuine worry. Twig had come to sit by Johanna, pawing slightly at her leg as he looked up at her with large worried eyes.

“Well, I suppose you have me there,” Johanna shot her daughter a reassuring grin as the cold water soothed her injury.

“It’s almost as though you haven’t been getting enough sleep or something,” Tontu interjected. Johanna’s eyes narrowed slightly, as she shot a meaningful look at the house nisse.

“I’ve been sleeping fine,” she said, her tone daring Tontu to argue with her. He didn’t, but she could almost feel him raising his eyebrows under the fluff that made up his face.

“I’ve been getting plenty of sleep,” Johanna lied as soothing water ran over her palm.

“Right,” Tontu said folding his arms.

“Hey mum, did you know you made two pies again?”

Hilda was peering in the oven, a bemused grin on her face.

“The second ones for our neighbor,” Johanna said quickly as she turned off the faucet and grabbed an oven mitt from the counter.

“Which neighbor?” Hilda asked, looking up at her mom.

Johanna felt her mind stall out as she frantically tried to come up with an excuse. It was getting harder and harder to come up with them, most likely due to her lack of sleep. Hard to sleep when your sneaking out every couple nights.

She’d been doing it for months now, and she was pretty sure she was getting away with it thus far. She did see the irony in her slipping away during the evening hours after she had grounded Hilda for a similar thing months earlier. But she was an adult she reasoned – she was allowed to have a couple of secrets.

As it stood now, her visits with the troll named Steinbrecher wasn’t something she was ready to share with anyone. Not even her daughter.

The troll hadn’t been hard to find. The mushrooms proved to be a good meeting spot, the patch quite easy to spot and it was close enough to the wall that Johanna never worried she’d get lost. Plus, there was the extra bonus that the shrooms kept Babba entertained while she and her mother waited for Johanna to show.

Johanna felt it was good for her to get out of the house now and again. On top of that – though it was true that her romps into the wild left Johanna tired, she’d noticed an up-spike in her art quality. Maybe it was the fresh mountain air, or possibly it was simply the fact that Johanna got to socialize for a little bit. Whatever the case, she enjoyed her time beyond the walls of Trollberg.

This being said, she was excited for tonight. She had plans.

“You know, I don’t know if you’ve met them,” Johanna said as she scooted Hilda aside, fishing the pies out of the oven and placing them on the counter to cool. “Now, go and wash up! You’ve got mud on your nose.”

Dinner was enjoyable and Johanna was treated to the story of how her daughter had perilously climbed a tree to save an elf who’d gotten tangled up on a runaway kite. She’d felt a prickle of unease at the descriptions of just how high up Hilda had gone, but had reminded herself that her daughter had managed to ride woffs without falling to her death – Hilda had always had a good sense of balance.

After that, Hilda had made her way off to her room and Johanna had sat back down to work on her commission, even though she suspected that she was unlikely to get anything done. As the night slowly began to approach, her mind grew more and more distracted.

Outside her window, she could see the troll fires beginning to glow on the mountains beyond. Dots of light in the dark with smoke rising up into the night sky. They put the safety patrol on edge, though Johanna now knew that they weren’t a threat. Of course, she didn’t know everything, just what Steinbrecher had communicated to her.

She looked down at her work, before giving a shake of her head. There was no point she decided, she may as well give it up for the evening. She walked over to the bookshelf, pulling a book from it. It was old and worn, though Johanna had only recently acquired it.

_The Joy of Signing_ was written across the cover in a white font. Johanna settled down, flipping through the pages as she began to read through it. She’d recently become… invested in this book. It had proven to be quite helpful.

Hilda’s bedtime came and went, Johanna coming into Hilda’s room to tuck her little girl in for the night. She planted a loving kiss on her forehead before turning off the lights and letting her snuggle down into her bed. Then she went out to the couch and waited.

She waited and waited, until half an hour had passed, and she was _sure_ that Hilda was asleep. Then she cleared her throat, speaking quietly into the dark room.

“Tontu,” she whispered into the gloom.

Flash the nisse appeared, squeezing out from beneath the chest drawers that was positioned in the hallway by the door. He walked over to her, folding his arms as he tilted his head.

“Yes?” He asked, his tone indicating that he already knew what was coming.

“I'm going out for a couple of hours. Can you keep an eye on Hilda for me?”

“Okay, I can do that,” Tontu said slowly as he tilted his head. “But I have to say, you’ve been disappearing a lot recently. Are you ever going to tell me where you keep running off to?”

Johanna gave a noncommittal shrug as she made her way over the counter. The second pie she’d baked now had tinfoil wrapped over the top, a precaution she’d begun to take ever since one of her offerings had gotten a multitude of pine needles in it.

It was quite a bit meatier than most of the pies she cooked. Layers of mutton, slices of steak and some chicken throw in for good measure where all backed into it, making the pie itself rather hard to bite into. Well… hard for her. Steinbrecher and Babba never seemed to have a problem.

It was also larger than most of the pies she made for herself and Hilda. She’d started doing this after realizing that a regular pie could very easily be eaten by Steinbrecher alone in one bite. Trolls weren’t exactly about savoring.

Though it wasn’t necessary, bringing food made Johanna feel like she was contributing. Besides, Steinbrecher always brought something as well, so even though she knew it wasn’t expected she liked to make an effort.

“Look, no offense, but sooner or later you’re going to get caught,” Tontu said as Johanna balanced the pie in her hands. She winced as it pressed down into her burned palm and she sighed internally at herself. She really wished she hadn’t forgotten the damn oven mitt.

“You’re not that sneaky,” Tontu continued as Johanna turned to him. “And also, Hilda’s not dumb.”

“And when do get found out I’ll be happy to explain it,” Johanna said as she looked down towards Tontu. “Until then, it’s just me enjoying a little bit of me time away from home.”

Tontu shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever you say, but you should probably wash your clothes a bit better then.”

Johanna stared at him, before self-consciously looking towards her sweater and giving a sniff. “Why, what’s wrong with them?” She asked.

“They smell like campfire smoke.”

Johanna nodded her head. “Right, thanks for the tip Tontu,” She said, her heart beating a little bit faster as it always did as she turned towards the door. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Have a nice evening,” Tontu said as she shouldered her way out of the door.

“You to,” Johanna whispered back, before closing the door and looking it behind her.

She crept downstairs, silent as a tide mouse as she made her way for the front door. The last thing she wanted was to alert any of her downstairs neighbors she was going out. Not because she was particularly worried what they might think of her, but more because she knew her daughter had a habit of talking with them. With her luck they’d let Hilda in on Johanna’s little secret long before she was ready to tell it.

The night air was cold, prickling at her skin despite her nice sweater as she made her way outside. The pie was heavy in her arms as she quietly walked over to the car, unlocking it. She set the pie down on the back seat, before shutting the door and making her way over to the driver’s seat. She slipped inside and started the engine – adjusting her mirror as she glanced about the empty roads.

Getting in and out of Trollberg was tricky, especially with the growing amount of safety patrol officers. The last thing she wanted to do was get caught sneaking out to meet a troll. She wasn’t exactly sure what the marron clad crew would do if they saw this, but chances were it wasn’t anything good.

Luckily, Johanna knew this city like the back of her hand. After all, she’d grown up here and though some things had changed, even more things hadn’t. Despite their measures to keep everything safe, Johanna knew that the Trollberg wall was not infallible.

She may not have been as adventurous as Hilda, but she was by no means a well-behaved child either. That’s how she knew the railroad tracks led directly out of town. It had always struck her as quite the safety breach, and the safety patrol seemed to think that as well.

There were quite a few of them who patrolled near the area, but Johanna had learned their patterns. After parking her car in an empty lot, she’d quietly made her way to the wall, hugging closely to it to avoid detection.

As she approached, she realized she’d gotten lucky. It seemed that her timing was perfect, as no figures stood blocking her exit. Of course, getting back in might be a bit of a hassle if she tried to get back in at night, but Johanna sometimes didn’t get back till daybreak.

She’d cross that bridge when she came to it she thought as she made her way over the railroad tracks, slipping out of the city. The sweeping forest greeted her on the other side, and she inhaled in deeply, the scent of the pines filling her nose.

In a second her sleepiness evaporated and even though her burnt hand gave a throb, she ignored it as she clutched the pie tightly to her, quickly making her way along the wall’s exterior. It was about a twelve-minute walk from here to the mushroom patch and she was eager to get there.

Sure, she may have trusted Steinbrecher, but she wasn’t keen on meeting another troll out in the dark. Though she now knew for sure that not all of them were hostile, she also knew that it was best to stay out of their way. It was the same concept of meeting a shark while swimming in its territory. More than likely, it would leave you alone. However, keeping your distance was a good idea.

On top of that, the safety patrol had taken to belling trolls that wandered to close to the walls. Johanna had no doubt that right now, the trolls who lived around Trollberg had rather negative opinions of the humans who lived inside its walls. With all this in mind, she kept her eyes peeled for any signs that she may not be alone.

As she approached her destination, her gaze darted up the wall towards were she knew the bell keeper kept watched. The stern looking tower that held the silent bell was unoccupied tonight it seemed – the edge of the wall were the bell keeper sometimes sat vacant.

She felt a slight pulse of relief, even though she suspected she had nothing to fear from the man. After all, he’d seen her before, and she’d never had any trouble. Sometimes she’d catch sight of him just sitting up on the wall or leaning out of the bell tower.

He didn’t even really seem to acknowledge her for the most part, aside from giving her a small wave every once and awhile. She wondered if he simply didn’t get paid enough to report a woman sneaking out to meet a troll in the dead of night or if he truly did not care. Whatever the case, it seemed he had no ill intent. Plus, Hilda had informed her that the bell keeper was a nice enough fellow. She’d apparently meet him when she’d spent the day with the safety patrol. Plus, he’d also helped Johanna back into Trollberg after the incident in the stone forest. He hadn’t said much then either – hadn’t really asked any questions.

Still, she preferred it when her journeys went unnoticed. Aside from the fact that this meant less witnesses, she enjoyed the feeling of sneaking through the dark without a single human eye upon her.

As she peered up ahead, her quarry came into sight. Steinbrecher wasn’t exactly easy to miss. She was knelt on the ground, watching intently as Babba pulled up mushrooms from an ever-diminishing patch. How Babba continually found enjoyment out of those mushrooms was somewhat of a mystery to Johanna. Maybe it was because she was young and the thrill of the dark colored shrooms with their gilled undersides had worn off yet.

As for Steinbrecher, Johanna suspected she was just happy that her daughter was happy. She could say from personal experience that one of the best feelings in the world for a mother was watching your child do something that excited them.

Johanna’s eyes fixed on the troll and her steps paused for a second as she took her in silently. Looming and massive, those soft glowing eyes were crinkled in affection as she watched her daughter play. The moonlight glinted off her grey skin, a slight grin up the side of her face as Babba tapped the top of a mushroom cap in a very insistent way.

Just her presence filled Johanna with a sudden rush of butterflies. Her hands began to twitch slightly and even now her mind began to trip up as she felt her cheeks warm slightly. Without warning, Steinbrecher’s head lifted and she caught sight of Johanna. “Hey!” Johanna called out quietly, feeling slightly jittery as she waved her hand towards the pair of trolls.

Babba’s head whipped around and she let out a happy cry, a large smile springing across her face.

“Babba! Babba babba!” She ran forward and Johanna dropped to her knees, hastily putting the pie to the side as she opened her arms for a hug. The small body hit her hard, partially knocking the breath from her as the baby troll wrapped her arms around Johanna’s middle.

Babba had become quite fond of Johanna through her repeated visits. Her presence always seemed to get the little troll riled and tonight was no different. The small arms compressed her tightly and once again Johanna was floored by just how powerful the baby troll actually was.

“Babba! Ba ba babba!” The baby troll continued as Johanna returned the hug, patting the baby on the head. She could hear the thud of footsteps as Steinbrecher approached them and her heart rate sped up slightly.

“It’s good to see you to Babba,” she laughed as she smiled fondly at the baby troll who clung to her middle. “How are the mushrooms today?” Babba released her, sprinting back towards the mushroom patch.

Her path took her directly past her mother who know stood close to Johanna. Steinbrecher sunk to one knee, a smile on her face as she raised her hands.

_Hello Johanna_

She signed. Her motions were fluid, her hands well practiced as she communicated. It seemed that every time she visited, Steinbrecher got better and better at sign language.

It had been Johanna’s idea and she was very proud of it. After all, both trolls and humans had hands making it a perfect bridge language between them.

She’d picked the book up at a discount book store that she and Hilda had visited. Her copy was old and a bit tattered, but it was quite expansive. It had made communication significantly easier.

Steinbrecher had been slow to pick up on it at first, struggling with it for a month. Johanna had taken to leaving the book with her, so if she had spare time she could practice. Then, one day it had all seemed to click. She’d gotten faster and faster a signing, her sentence structure becoming more and more complex.

Johanna could stumble through conversation now that a couple of months had passed, but Steinbrecher was getting to the point where it almost felt as though she was fluent. Johanna had had to ask her to slow down a couple of times, just so she could catch what she was saying. Today, Johanna had decided to brave conversation without bringing the book with her. She wasn’t sure how it would go, but she had a good feeling.

“Hey Steinbrecher,” Johanna replied signing along with her words as she straightened up. Johanna didn’t need to sign, but she felt it was unfair to make Steinbrecher learn the signs all by herself. After all, she was the one who was already bilingual, perfectly understanding everything Johanna said. Johanna felt she should put in the same amount of effort as the troll.

Babba came toddling back, eagerly offering up a mushroom to Johanna as she let out small cries of babba. “That’s really neat,” Johanna said as she took the mushroom from Babba. “Would you like it back?” Babba shook her head.

“Babba, babba,” she said was a decisive nod of her head. Apparently the mushroom was a gift. Johanna glanced at Steinbrecher who was watching the exchanged with amusement. Babba often gave Johanna gifts. Pinecones, small rocks, and many many mushrooms. She appreciated the gesture, but she kept forgetting them in her pockets and having them turn up later in the wash.

“I will cherish it,” She slid as she worked the mushroom into her pants pocket, ignoring the small stains it left along the edges. Steinbrecher spoke then in a growl of a voice and her child looked up to her, nodding her head at whatever her mother had said. Johanna turned to Steinbrecher and asked with a grin on her face. “So are we ready to go, our does Babba want more time with the mushrooms?”

Steinbrecher shook her head.

_She had plenty of time with them before you arrived._

How long did plenty of time mean? Johanna pulled out her phone, hurriedly checking the glowing numbers as she realized that it was in fact much later than she’d previously thought. Their normal meet-up time tended to be about nine pm, but her phone clearly read ten. She supposed she had lingered a bit as she’d walked through the forest. “Oh shoot, I’m late.” She said, feeling embarrassed.

Steinbrecher gave a snort and raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained by Johanna’s distress.

_You humans and your need to be places. It’s fine, Babba enjoys the mushrooms_.

Her signing really was getting quite smooth Johanna noticed, feeling quite impressed. “Right, right trolls don’t do late,” Johanna said, feeling a bit flustered by Steinbrecher’s presence and teasing. Steinbrecher nodded her head. “Yet despite that, you’re always on time,” Johanna pointed out.

Steinbrecher raised an eyebrow.

_Of course, I respect your need to schedule. I don’t mind waiting for you._

Johanna smiled, biting back her half-formed apologies. There was no need for those – Steinbrecher had told her that countless times. She was a relaxed creature Johanna had come to learn. She adhered only to the whims of her child and the need to eat. Aside from that, wandering seemed to be what she favored. To be that relaxed must really be a blessing Johanna thought as Steinbrecher once more spoke to her child, before turning back to Johanna and signing.

_Are you ready to go?_

Johanna quickly picked her pie, clutching it in her arms as she straightened. “Absolutely!” She was excited to get to the campfire. The night was just right for one. The crackling flames, the heat. Johanna could already feel an ever-growing excitement bubbling up inside of her.

Babba ran to her mother’s side as Steinbrecher glanced off into the woods, surveying them with just a hint of caution. Then she looked towards Johanna, beckoning her forward. Johanna quickly made her way up to Steinbrecher’s free side, walking with her as the two of them set off into the woods.

Are we switching spots?” She asked, pie weighing her down as she walked. It really was quite large. Her baking adventures got more ambitious every time she entered the kitchen it seemed.

Steinbrecher nodded her head, an irritated expression crossing her face.

_Somewhere more hidden._

She signed, a frown resting across her features. It was clear she was still slightly annoyed at what had occurred last time the two were out together.

Johanna didn’t blame her, she was a bit irritated as well. Though her and Steinbrecher did on occasion switch spots, they had a little campfire that sat just a couple of miles in from the wall. Steinbrecher had picked it because it was far enough away from other troll campfires that normally they were left in peace.

However, the prior evening their small crackling fire had been interrupted by a familiar face. Johanna had learned that the two headed troll really was a pain in the neck. He seemed to just enjoy causing havoc and so had been the case that evening.

He and his cronies had come stumbling out of the trees, locked in a slap out with another group of trolls. In his rowdiness he had stomped out the fire, though it hadn’t really mattered. At the sight of him, Steinbrecher had grabbed her and Babba and beat a hasty retreat.

She’d later explained she was worried that if that particular troll realized that Johanna was coming out into the forest at night, he might start actively hunting her. After all, she did spill a good percentage of his hoard out into the stone forest, which he was apparently still quite bitter about. It would have put a halt to their midnight outings, so Johanna had been glad that Steinbrecher thought on her feet.

Of course, despite this she’d still lost a good pie pan that day and had been forced to buy a new one for this excursion.

So, she found herself unsurprised that they were moving spots. “Is the new spot far?” She asked, glancing at her shoes. She hoped not, she’d worn rather nicer shoes. They were the white sneakers that were actually white, along with a soft burgundy sweater and her best pair of jeans. She had a habit of wearing nicer clothes on these outings, something that always came back to bite her on laundry day and the rare social event she attended to Trollberg.

_Our first stop isn’t far._

Steinbrecher signed, as she lifted Babba up into her arms so the child could rest for a second.

First stop? That was new.

“What’s happening at our first stop?” Johanna inquired.

Steinbrecher did not respond the smallest of smiles playing about her face. It seemed their destination was somewhat of a secret. Johanna was burning was curiosity, but she let it go. After all, she doubted she could convince Steinbrecher to spill the beans.

It took them what Johanna figured had to be about half an hour to reach their destination. As they walked, she filled Steinbrecher in on the latest movements of the safety patrol. It wasn’t exactly small talk, but Johanna felt it was her duty as a friend to make sure that the troll was aware what exactly the group was up to. She knew that Steinbrecher made an effort not to get caught out in the sun, but she would have hated to see the troll belled.

The conversation came to a stop as Steinbrecher’s path lead them to the outskirts of what appeared to be a troll fire. Johanna caught sight of the orange flames through the trees, going quiet as the three of them approached. As the undergrowth cleared slightly, she caught sight of the trolls that sat around it. Her eyes darted from troll to troll, before she took in a small intake of breath her eyes fixing on a specific one.

Johanna had seen a lot of trolls at this point and she’d be willing to bet she could make a fair guess at who was who when it came to a couple of them.

However, there was one figure in the crowd that Johanna realized she knew with absolute certainty. The troll would have been hard to forget, the last time Johanna saw her was when she had come to claim her baby from Hilda’s school.

Big and menacing, she sat by the fire with the rest of the trolls, all of them clearly caught in quiet conversation.

Her child had grown – the small thing was just as energetic as Johanna remembered, darting about the other trolls as it babbled. Its eyes glowed with obvious excitement. It stood almost as tall as Babba, though it was a couple inches shorter.

Johanna put a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening at the sight. “I know that troll,” she whispered to Steinbrecher. Steinbrecher held out a hand as she carefully reached out, ushering Johanna behind a tree. “No, not like that,” Johanna assured. “We’re on much better terms than the two headed fellow.”

_Still, best to stay out of sight. Give me a second._

She signed, before placing Babba back down. The baby happily followed behind her as she approached the fire confidently. The trolls turned their heads and she raised her hand in greeting. Most of them were quick to look away, but the other parent troll fully turned to look towards Steinbrecher, growling out a greeting.

Babba shyly approached the other baby who wildly waved its arms, running over to Babba with obvious excitement. How often did troll children get to play with one another? It must be tricky setting up play dates, what with how trolls worked.

As the children began to excitedly speak to one another in shrill voices, words were exchanged between their parents. The other troll gave Steinbrecher a pat on the shoulder, a gesture that Johanna interpreted to be some form of assurance. Steinbrecher nodded her head before turning to Babba and speaking to her. Babba seemed to be fully distracted and only gave the quickest of waves to her mother as she followed behind the other baby who was eagerly leading Babba towards a tree.

It was odd just how different troll babies could look Johanna thought.

Where Babba looked almost like a young human, the other troll baby had a long nose and a squat body. She wondered if it would have a growth spurt as it aged, or if that was simply going to be its shape no matter how big it got.

Steinbrecher made her way back into the woods, gesturing for Johanna to follow her as she passed by the tree she was crouched behind. Johanna did, quietly walking beside her as she glanced back over towards the fire. The silhouettes of the trolls were fading out of sight quickly. She looked to Steinbrecher, noticing she to was glancing back. She looked a bit nervous, her glowing eyes holding uncertainty in them as she looked over her shoulder. She did not stop moving though.

Johanna was surprised, feeling questions bouncing about her brain as she walked. Her and Steinbrecher had been meeting up months and the troll had never gotten a sitter before. Babba had been a constant in their time together – something that Johanna hadn’t minded. However, she would confess that the child did make it a bit hard to… act on certain feelings.

“You’ve never gotten someone to babysit before,” Johanna said, glancing upwards at her large companion. Steinbrecher’s expression gave nothing away as she turned and tilted her head slightly. Her hands twitched as she seemed to sort out what she wanted to say in her head.

_I just thought it would be nice if it was just the two of us tonight._

She finally signed after what appeared to be a lot of deliberation. Johanna’s heart picked up the pace slightly, her flush hidden in the dark of the wood. “That would be nice,” Johanna agreed, trying not to sound too eager as her mind began to rush through the possibilities of her and Steinbrecher having some time alone.

“Is it tough finding a babysitter when you’re a troll?” Johanna asked in an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts that had begun to rush. Steinbrecher’s face split into a slightly wry smile.

_It can be tricky. It’s helpful when there’s other parents around._

Their path took them deeper through the forest – deeper and deeper until Johanna wasn’t quite sure which way lead back to Trollberg. It was a bit unnerving, wandering out this far at night. The woods seem to close around her slightly, the brush her and Steinbrecher waded through pushing in more and more.

Plus the pie was heavy, and her hand still ached from the burn it had suffered earlier. It seemed that Steinbrecher had been very determined to find a place no other troll would wander Johanna thought as she found herself regretting wearing her nice sneakers. She knew for a fact she’d stepped in a mud puddle at some point and there were now brown stains smearing across the white.

As she felt her breath coming in slightly heavy pulls, a large finger tapped her on the shoulder. She looked over towards Steinbrecher who was watching her, a slightly guilty look on her face.

_Do you want me to carry that?_

Steinbrecher signed, pointing to the pie that was cradled in Johanna’s arms. Johanna shook her head quickly. “No, I’m fine. It’s not that heavy,” she lied. Steinbrecher tilted her head and Johanna had the feeling she did not believe her. To be fair, Johanna wouldn’t have believed herself either. She was very clearly out of breath.

_Are you sure?_

Steinbrecher pried as she came to a stop.

_Our path is about to get steep._

She pointed in front of them and Johanna brushed a look of hair aside from her face as she looked in the direction the troll pointed. Her mouth fell open as she stared at the intimidating sight in front of her. “We’re going up there?” She asked in nervous disbelief.

Johanna had, over the last few months, gotten significantly more athletic. All of the hiking out to campfires had slowly begun to build her leg muscles back up and she felt more and more spry with each passing day.

However, just staring at the rockfall that she and Steinbrecher stood in front of, it made her breath pull in just a bit faster. It was an almost vertical climb and even from here, Johanna could tell the boulders were unstable. She could almost hear the shift as she stared up, trying to determine where it all ended.

It was clear as she looked up, that Steinbrecher was intent on taking her up a mountain.

“Perhaps you should take the pie,” Johanna said after a couple of seconds. She heard the troll let out a laugh behind her and she turned to see a toothy grin on her face. She had an almost sly look on her face, as though this rockfall was part of some big elaborate plan.

_Do you want me to carry you up? It might be easier._

She offered. Johanna felt her face burn a dark hue, glancing back towards the rocks to hide her blush. She would _very_ much like Steinbrecher to carry her. Not simply because she wasn’t sure how exactly she was going to get up this mess otherwise, but because the memory of being carried in the troll’s big strong arms was something that had never left her.

Another thing she hadn’t forgotten was the kiss. The one she’d planted on the troll’s cheek as a thank you for guiding her and Hilda out of the stone forest. Johanna hadn’t been the only one who’d blushed that day.

She’d never brought the kiss up after the fact – never seemed to be able to find a good moment. Steinbrecher had yet to bring it up either and part of Johanna wondered if she’d somehow forgotten about it.

Johanna’s little crush had grown since that day, especially after she and Steinbrecher had figured out how to speak to one another. Steinbrecher was good company – easy company. She didn’t make Johanna feel anxious and didn’t make her feel out of place. When she as out here, with Steinbrecher, she belonged without having to try.

For a long time now she’d wanted to say something to Steinbrecher about it – to get a gauge on whether or not the troll felt the same way. Maybe… maybe tonight was going to be that night.

_Johanna?_

Johanna started from her thoughts, her cheeks heating up slightly as she caught sight of Steinbrecher’s words. The troll was looking at her and she looked ever so slightly concerned

_We can find somewhere else if you don’t want to be…_

She began to offer but Johanna quickly shook her head.

“No! No, no, I would love a lift!” She said as she fully turned to face the troll. She paused, before adding with a slightly shy smile. “You know, if your offering one that is.”

Steinbrecher didn’t bother to respond. With a grin, she stepped forward, scooping Johanna into her arms with alarming ease. Johanna was pressed up against the stony chest, cradled in the troll’s powerful grip as she carefully adjusted her.

Johanna held tight to the pie with one hand as she wrapped an arm around Steinbrecher’s broad shoulders with the other. Her hands ran across the oddly warm skin, fingers smoothing across it as she enjoyed the texture.

Steinbrecher glanced over at her, clearly checking for verification that Johanna was in a stable position. Johanna gave a quick nod. “I’m steady,” she assured her large companion. Steinbrecher nodded her head, unable to respond now that one of her hands was occupied. She turned to the rockface and in a flash she began to ascend.

The journey upwards with thrilling. Steinbrecher moved with grace, the rocks that shifted under her feet no bother to the sure-footed troll. Her ascent was quick, her free hand balancing herself as she kept Johanna held close and safe with the other.

As they rose higher and higher, the air began to develop a nip, a feeling that was easily banished as Johanna cuddled in closer to the troll’s body. The moon and stars lit their way up the grey rocks and Johanna watched every second of it with wide eyes.

It was over before Johanna was ready for it to be over. The rocks gave way to grass and the grass grew shorter as the moss grew thicker. Finally, they stood atop a peak, the view from it overlooking the world around them. Johanna gave a gasp as she stared off into the distance, realizing just how far she’d actually walked. They were miles away from Trollberg, the city lights faint from where they stood.

“It’s beautiful,” Johanna breathed as Steinbrecher held her. She too was staring out over the trees and when Johanna looked up, she caught a content look on the trolls face. It was clear that she was also taking a moment to enjoy the solitude. Finally, after a minute of just standing there, she carefully lowered Johanna down to the ground.

_I already gathered firewood._

She signed, pointing over towards a large pile of logs and sticks. Johanna shivered as the cold air pushed in around her. “I’ll get it a fire going,” She offered quickly as she made her way over towards the ring of stones that had already been set up.

Steinbrecher had clearly gone to some effort to prepare this place for their night out.

Johanna quickly gathered up the sticks and logs, eager to put her sparrow scout knowledge to the test. It had been awhile since she’d made a fire, the matches she’d brought in her pocket proved to make the process significantly easier. As she stacked the wood and twigs, she noticed that Steinbrecher had made her way off to a section of bare dirt a little ways away from the camp.

She began to dig, her hands easily parting the loose soil. Had Steinbrecher buried something up here Johanna wondered? She set this thought aside as a tiny flame flickered into life, the dry twigs catching alight and burning brightly as Johanna blew on them gently.

The fire blazed to life, the logs catching, and a nice wave of heat rolled over Johanna. She let out a sigh, wincing slightly as her hand gave an ache. She looked down at the injury, grimacing at the nasty blister that had formed. Apparently she’d burnt it worse than she thought.

She heard the digging stop behind her, and she turned around, catching sight of Steinbrecher taking hold of something in the soil. “What’s that?” She asked as the troll pulled something loose from the dirt, shaking it to clear the dust from its surface.

Steinbrecher turned so the object was visible and Johanna tilted her head in curiosity. The troll held what appeared to be a stone jug. It seemed to be made from a deep red stone, one that Johanna didn’t think was native to the area. Inside, she could hear the sound of some mysterious content sloshing about.

Her interest piqued, she sat down on the ground as the troll brushed the remaining dirt from it, before standing up and making her way to the fire. She set the jug down by Johanna as she passed by her, making her way off towards some nearby bushes.

Johanna reached over, taking the jug in her hand. She sloshed it about, listening to the liquid inside as it splashed back and forth. The top of it was plugged with a dark wooden cork, sealing away whatever contents were confined within. Sure, it might just be troll mead – the drink that Steinbrecher had served her and Hilda when they’d first ended up in her cave. Johanna felt there had to be more to it though. Otherwise why would the troll act so… mysterious about the whole thing.

Steinbrecher made her way back over, stone mugs clutched in her hand. She sat down by Johanna, placing the mugs between them. The she reached out a hand and Johanna gave her the bottle. With ease, Steinbrecher popped the cork out.

“So, what’s in the jug?” Johanna asked, staring at it intently as Steinbrecher poured a helping of the liquid into each of the mugs. “Is it troll mead?” Steinbrecher put the bottle down beside her, before turning to Johanna.

_A version of troll mead._

She signed, a half-smile on her face.

Johanna eyes her expression as she picked up the mug from the ground. There was a mischievous glitter somewhere in those glowing eyes. Johanna raised the glass to her lips when Steinbrecher quickly raised her hands up to sign again.

_Small sips are probably best._

She recommended, tilting her head to the side.

Johanna narrowed her eyes, grinning at the troll. “Wait…” She looked back at the drink, taking a careful sip from it. She choked slightly. The drink was still delicious as she remembered, but now there was also a kick to it. Johanna let out a laugh as she looked up at Steinbrecher.

“So there's an alcoholic version I see. I suppose this is troll mead for adults?”

Steinbrecher nodded her head, patting the jug beside her.

_It’s harder to come by. It takes more time to make._

“It’s really good,” Johanna said, trying to remember the last time she’d drunk anything alcoholic – excluding the occasional glass of wine she now and then had at fancy events.

Probably sometime back in her twenties, that’s when she’d done all her real partying. She took another swig, this one larger. Tingles spread through her body – the drink was clearly quite strong. It filled her with an odd sense of euphoria, along with a burning energy.

_You shouldn’t drink to much._

Recommended Steinbrecher looking a bit anxious as Johanna to another large swig.

_Your much smaller than I am and it doesn’t take much to get me drunk._

“Maybe I can handle my liquor better than you then,” Johanna challenged. Steinbrecher snorted and picked up the full cup beside her, downing it in one swig. She shuddered slightly, before putting the glass down and pouring herself another one.

_Try me._

She signed as she took a sip from her now refilled cup. Johanna did, downing over a fourth of the contents left in her cup. She had instant regret as a wave of dizziness hit her, along with a burst of giggles. Hastily she put the cup down a smile on her face as she shook her head. “Never mind, you were right,” she said laughing.

Steinbrecher gestured to the pie.

_Maybe we should eat._

She suggested as Johanna tried to contain her snickers. Johanna nodded her head quickly. She may have no longer been sober, but she knew it was vital to get some pie in her stomach to avoid an unwanted hangover.

The pie was delicious, if a bit hearty for Johanna. She had to stop after the first two pieces, her stomach quite full. Her vision had stopped spinning though, the food inside her absorbing up some of the alcohol and making it far more tolerable for her body.

She watched with a smile as Steinbrecher polished off the rest of the giant pie, chewing and swallowing with a content look on her face. Johanna took small sips of her drink, not eager to overwhelm herself again as she continued to work on her first cup. Steinbrecher wiped her mouth, before her attention focused back on Johanna.

_So, how has your daughter been?_

Steinbrecher inquired. Johanna glanced over her shoulder, towards the lights glowed so far away.

“Good, she’s good,” Johanna said with a nod. “She gets a bit more honest with me every day. At least now when she does something outrageous, she tells me.”

Johanna laughed and shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t know how she ended up so wild. Don’t get me wrong, I got into it as well when I was her age, but she’s got a knack for finding trouble. Makes a mother worry.”

She took another sip from her mug, before waving a hand in the air. “One moment she’s riding on water spirits, the next she’s gone and fallen into vittra tunnels. I think she said something about a lindworm to, as well as a Kraken. My daughter can find trouble no matter where she is.”

_She did seem a bit more wild than an average human when I met her._

Steinbrecher signed, a thoughtful look on her face. Johanna took another sip of her drink, feeling her world shift slightly. She decided she better slow down – Steinbrecher wasn’t joking about just how potent alcoholic troll mead was.

“I just worry that one of these days she’s going to wander into something that she can’t wiggle her way out of,” Johanna shook her head. “Honestly though if I get started on it I’ll be going on all evening. Tell me Steinbrecher, how are things up here?”

Steinbrecher shifted, her expression slightly uncomfortable as she put down her cup.

_There are more trolls on this mountain every day. It’s becoming positively crowded. They’re coming from all over._

“So you’re still feeling the call,” Johanna asked as she set down her cup beside her. Steinbrecher had told her about the strange feeling that was calling the trolls here. It wasn’t some plan to tear down Trollberg’s walls that caused them to gather, but rather an odd pull inside of them. Something drew them to the city, though Steinbrecher didn’t seem to fully know what it might be.

_It’s still there._

Steinbrecher confirmed letting out a soft sigh as she shook her large head.

_I’m not sure it will stop until… until whatever it is that has called us here is satisfied. Trolls are growing more restless by the day and the bells, they aren’t helping._

“Right, the safety patrol,” Johanna said, feeling frustration bubbling inside of her. For all there talk of a safer Trollberg, the safety patrol seemed determined to antagonize the trolls that were directly outside the walls.

_There’s trouble brewing._

Steinbrecher signed, looking over towards Trollberg.

_The humans are scared, and the trolls are frustrated. That isn’t a good combination._

“Probably best for me to stay out of sight then,” Johanna said as she leaned back against her hand. She winced and pulled it up, staring at the angry red burn that she kept forgetting was present. It annoyed her slightly that the alcohol hadn’t gotten around to numbing her hands yet.

_Are you okay?_

Steinbrecher signed, glancing over towards Johanna. Johanna hastily nodded her head, as she let out a laugh. “It’s fine, just… burned myself earlier today.”

_Can I see?_

Johanna flushed, before shyly offering out her hand. Steinbrecher grasped it in her large hand, rubbing fingers across the burn. She looked up towards Johanna and though her hands were occupied, her eyes asked the question she clearly had.

_What happened?_

“It’s the lack of sleep,” Johanna confessed, rubbing at her eyes. “I just wasn’t thinking when I was baking and… well, you can see the results.” The troll’s glowing eyes stared into her and she quickly raised her free hand. “Not that I regret anything that’s been going on. Just, sometimes it all makes me a bit groggy, you know?”

Steinbrecher still held her hand, stony finger pressing lightly against the angry red skin. Johanna felt an odd prickling sensation in her hand as though electricity was pulsing through it. She didn’t mind though, too distracted by the contact.

Steinbrecher was always so much warmer than she remembered. It even felt as though the pain was fading.

Steinbrecher released her hand and Johanna looked down at it, squinting through the dark. “Wait,” she said slowly as she turned it. “Did you just?” The burn was gone, her skin once more smooth and unblemished.

She looked up as Steinbrecher quickly began to sign.

_I can’t heal everything. When you fell in the mountain and hurt your leg, there was nothing I could have done for that. A small burn though is something I can handle._

Glowing red magic ghosted across the Trolls thick fingers as she gave a smile. Johanna stared in fascination at the troll. How hadn’t she known about this? Her and Steinbrecher had talked so much over the past few months.

She knew about the trolls favorite mountains (the ones northeast from their current location), her insights on the political climate between human’s and trolls (concerned) – even about the small collection of porcelain dishes that she hoarded in her cave.

How had she never thought to question the troll on her magic?

Probably the same way she’d never gotten around to confessing her true feelings. Her thoughts came to a stop as she considered this. Was this the time? Under the moon next to a glowing campfire, her hand freshly healed by the troll – was this the moment she’d been waiting for?

“Steinbrecher, I…” Johanna felt the brave words falter out in her throat as she coughed slightly, quickly taking another sip from the glass beside her. She felt it hit her hard a fuzziness began to pulse through her body. “I have something I wanted to ask you,” she finally managed to blurt out with a herculean effort.

The troll was watching her intently. She paused, before she lifted her hands.

_I to had a question. But, you go first._

Johanna took another unadvised deep sip from her cup as she prepared herself. She had to prepare herself because what if she was wrong about all of this? What if she’d misread the signs – what if Steinbrecher really was just looking for a friend. Would this ruin it?

“This is the first time that you’ve gotten Babba a sitter,” she said carefully as she looked up towards the troll. “I’m just curious as to why?” That was _not_ Johanna’s question, but even with the liquor she found herself chickening out.

Steinbrecher seemed to consider this for a second. She let out a heavy sigh before grabbing her own cup. “Steinbrecher?” Johanna asked, watching in apprehension as she downed the entire contents of the mug, before quickly pouring herself another glass.

“Steinbrecher?!” Johanna inquired, feeling growing alarm as the troll began to drink down the third glass of troll mead. The troll raised a finger, requesting her to wait and Johanna fell silent as she watched the trolls motions grow just a tad bit shakier. Apparently this was how much it took to get her tipsy. Johanna would be lying if she said she wasn’t the tiniest bit impressed. Finally she put down the cup, before turning fully to Johanna. She looked oddly… determined.

_I thought it would be nice, just the two of us. I love my daughter, but I was hoping to get a moment alone with you._

“A moment alone with me?” Johanna felt her heartbeat speeding up once again as her mind clung onto those words. That could only mean one thing right – how else was she supposed to interpret that? “What for?” She asked, gazing at Steinbrecher intently.

_I like spending time with you. Just you._

The trolls signs were evasive, but Johanna could see it. She was being invited to continue this conversation. “It is nice to be kid free for an evening,” Johanna agreed as she tried to find the right words.

Steinbrecher raised her hands to speak, but Johanna held up a hand. She was going for it she decided. Her brain was slightly fuzzy, and her hands were shaking, but by god she was going to make a move. “Steinbrecher, your unlike anyone I’ve ever met, troll or otherwise,” she said, her eyes fixed on the ground as she spoke. “I mean, I could talk to you for hours and that was before you figured out how to sign. I like _being_ with you, out here where everything is still wild. I like you a lot, more than almost anyone else in my life…”

She raised her eyes, nervously glancing at the trolls face. “Do you understand?”

Her heart came to a stop as she saw, even in the dark stone cheeks tinted with color and a look of relief that was spreading across Steinbrecher’s face. She looked like she might laugh as she lifted her hand and simply signed.

_Yes._

Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Johanna had never wanted to kiss anyone more in her life. She rolled to her knees, carefully standing up. Steinbrecher, rose to her knee, her face _almost_ level with Johanna’s at this height. There was no longer any hesitation. Johanna stepped forward and, ducking to avoid Steinbrecher’s long nose, pressed her lips against the others mouth.

It was a chaste sort of kiss, at first, as Johanna closed her eyes and leaned in. Then, arms scooped her. She was lifted from the ground as she felt the troll return her advances. Steinbrecher’s grip was almost tight enough to hurt, as she held Johanna to her.

It had been so long since Johanna had kissed anyone, and she realized she’d forgotten how nice it felt. There was a sense of indominable security as she was clutched close – as though nothing in the world could touch her while the troll held her.

It could have lasted an eon, or maybe it only lasted a second. Time was irrelevant to Johanna in those moments as her and Steinbrecher were locked under the stars. At some point thought, the kiss broke. Johanna knew her face was red, but she wondered if it would be able to complete with the scarlet shade that Steinbrecher’s face had turned.

Johanna let out a peal of laugher as she rested her head against Steinbrecher’s shoulder. “So we were both just dancing around this were we?” She felt Steinbrecher moved and she looked up to see the troll had approached the fire. She sat down with a thump that shook the earth, carefully setting Johanna down in her lap.

_It seems we were._

Steinbrecher rubbed at the back of her head, an awkward smile on her face.

“You could have said something,” Johanna said, her face still burning a deep red. “Honestly, the fact you were waiting on me… you realize how long that could have taken?”

Steinbrecher tilted her head.

_I didn’t want to scare you away. Besides, I didn’t want you to feel obligated._

She gestured to herself with a serious expression.

_I’m a troll and you’re out alone in the middle of the woods. I wanted you to have the ability to say no._

“Huh,” Johanna thought over her words and realized she was right. She really had been sneaking out with a troll and leaving very little clues as to where she’d gone. “I trust you,” she said finally, after giving a shrug of her shoulders.

Steinbrecher laughed.

_I know._

She reached out and cradled Johanna’s cheek, her eyes loving. Johanna rested her head against the trolls chest. “So what do we do now?” She asked. “I mean, I think we both want more than a friendship out of this but that’s going to be… complicated isn’t it.”

Differing schedules, differing species and the fact that Steinbrecher turned to stone during the day was beginning to plague at Johanna’s mind. She wanted this, but how could she balance this with the rest of her world?

Steinbrecher was quiet for a second, before glancing up at Johanna.

_Maybe we don’t think about that tonight._

She suggested as she looked down at Johanna.

_Maybe, just for now, we enjoy the fire and the stars and each other’s company._

Johanna felt her worried thoughts beginning to slow down. She looked up towards the sky – at the stars glimmering high above them. The campfire crackled in a calming fashion behind her and the whole world seemed to breathe easy. A sense of calm slowly began to return to her as she gave a nod of her head.

“Maybe that’s for the best,” she agreed as the troll’s hand rested on her head, fingers running across her hair in a gentle fashion. She took in a deep breath of air as the tension in her body evaporated, her eyes lingering on the fire. In that moment, there really wasn’t anywhere she’d rather be.

**Author's Note:**

> You know, I've realized that since I've gone and negated Hilda being turned into a troll I'm going to have to find a way to work around the events of Hilda and the Mountain King. Not sure how I'm going to do it yet, but give me time...


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